"In a world that has begun to believe that financial profit is the only religion, sometimes not wanting money is more frightening to capitalist society than acts of terrorism."
Arundhati Ray

14 July 2005

Spanish Equality

This is a quote made by Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in the Spanish Parliament as the same-sex marriage bill was successfully passed into law:

"Today, Spanish society is responding to a group of people who for years have been humiliated, whose rights have been ignored, their dignity offended, their identity denied and their freedom restricted," he said. "Today Spanish society grants them the respect they deserve, recognizes their rights, restores their dignity, affirms their identity, and restores their liberty.

"We are not the first [to do this] but I am sure we will not be the last," he said. "After us will come many other countries, driven, ladies and gentlemen, by two unstoppable forces: freedom and equality.

"[This is] a small change in wording that means an immense change in the lives of thousands of citizens. We are not legislating, ladies and gentlemen, for people who are far away and unknown to us. We are expanding opportunities for the happiness of our neighbors, our work colleagues, our friends, our relatives.

"It is true that [gays] are only a minority but their triumph is a triumph for everybody ... Their victory makes us all better, makes our society better."